Lava Rock and Tangerine Tea

Visiting Jeju for the first time? Having the ability to drive ourselves, using the local navigation app, we looked online for places to go.  Our first destination is a nature preserve on the south side of the island that advertises views of volcanic cliffs. It is named for 'jusangjeolli', the Korean term for columnar jointing. We did not take into consideration the weekend traffic or, as it turned out, the crowds of tourists. The parking lot was full, with lots of buses and vans unloading visitors. We stood in line to pay the small entrance fee, and browsed the shops selling tangerine juice and tangerine themed souvenirs. The walkways took us to viewing points where we had to wait our turn to pose and photograph the hexagonal shaped columns of black rock. 

I wondered if there was anything else to see or do, but noticed the crowds heading towards the exit.  Back outside we noticed a sign with what we assumed were prices for parking, but even Google translate didn't help us understand where and how to pay. I suggested we just drive off without paying, but Jon wanted more information.  He looked around for someone to ask.  Most of the other tourists appeared to be Korean, and so probably wouldn't speak English, but there were a couple of foreigners like us.  When approached, they explained that they were here on a tour and couldn't help us with parking.  Driving out we were stopped at the gate and fortunately we had some ₩won and were able to get by without breaking the law. 

We continued into town for lunch, but again found ourselves fighting traffic and confusing road signs. Having been warned that traffic cameras will capture any infractions and ticket us, we were nervous to get caught speeding, running a STOP sign or illegal parking. One of the most confusing signs was the crossed out arrow painted on the road. So we drove around and left the car in a lot below the entrance to the World Cup Stadium.  This is an impressive building that now houses a cinema, jogging track and water park.  We are hoping to watch a soccer game there before the season ends in November. 

Continuing our sightseeing, we stopped at the Tea Museum not far from where we live. As I expected, this was a tourist trap.  The surrounding tea plantation was beautifully clipped and ready for visitors to pose, similar to how one might take selfies among the grapevines at a winery. The 'museum' as actually a large gift shop, cafe and restaurant. We tasted the peanut flavored green tea and macha before purchasing a few tangerine teabags.  Another building sold beauty products and soap made from tea. This opened up into a delightful cafe where one can sit and sip tea overlooking the green tea fields. Everything screamed "social media post".  The teapots and cups were made of glass so the light shone through the golden liquid inside. Dainty tea flavored biscuits and cakes produce an upscale treat that gives you a taste of the local citrus fruit. 

Our 'high tea' at the tea plantation contrasted greatly with our lunch at the McDonalds in town.  Although the fast food restaurant is not Korean food, it showed me more of authentic Korean culture than the tourist spots. Like almost all other restaurants here, there is no one to take your order. At fast food places you use the big screens to order and pay, where in sit down places there is a smaller screen at the table. I am able to practice my Korean alphabet sounds by reading the menu; 맥도날드 (pronounced maek-doo-nal-deu); I find they serve crab cake wraps and burgers with Korean pepper cream cheese. Every restaurant has at least one umbrella stand full of umbrellas by the door. McDonalds has a machine that wraps your wet umbrella in plastic so you can carry it inside without dripping.  We took our food upstairs and discovered that a small boys was following us. He believed we had dropped a US dime, and wanted to make sure he returned it to us. His kind consideration was touching. 

In my haste to get to know what Jeju wants foreigners to appreciate: the scenic coast, the tea and tangerine plantations, the traditional fishing industry and the beaches; I was overlooking what I need to appreciate a life here: learning the language, the customs and food.  All of South Korea relies heavily on technology in service industries; there is no need to speak the language in order to make a purchase; just use the app. But there is a need to speak the language in order to connect with those who live here and can introduce us to so much more on this island. 

산방산 Mountain with a Cave

 

In my last post I questioned the abundance of wind on Jeju island... I no longer do. Typhoon like winds have blown in from the south bringing cooler temperatures and a little rain. It is no longer beach weather, but we went to the beach and watched the waves crash against the black volcanic rocks. The wind threatened to blow me down! 

I was anxious to see a bit of Jeju, and we started at the pretty coastal village of Sagye, or 사계리. Along with its dramatic coastline, Sanbangsan mountain towers above with a Buddhist temple carved into the side of the sheer rock. First we had to navigate signs to find parking. The spaces nearest to the temple entrance were full, and private. Luckily we saw a sign for public parking lower down and Jon expertly backed into a narrow space. This seems to be a characteristic of Jeju parking, just enough space for the car and none left over for opening the doors. 

Legend has it that this stone mountain was at one time the top of Hallasan, the main volcano that makes up the island. During a fit of fury, the Halla spirit ripped the mountain's peak off, and threw it. It landed on the coast, forming a new mountain call Sanbangsan, without a crater at its summit. However, geological posters at the site illustrate that in fact it is made of thick sticky lava being forced up and cooling, similar to toothpaste being squeezed out of a tube.

The large golden statue of Buddha was clearly visible from the road, and we started up the stairs towards it, past small shops selling bags of rice. These were clearing labeled in English as offerings. You could purchase water or candles for ￦10,000, or an annual wish lantern at ￦50,000.  A much cheaper option was to buy a golden wish leaf, write on your desire/prayer, and pin it up on the fence going up the

Path of Wish Fulfillment. Climbing this path, which was actually a steep stairway, we came across other wish makers ringing a large bell three times in order to help the wish come true.  

The path leads up the side of the mountain to a cave which is a holy place for the female deity of the mountain.  The water that drips from the ceiling of the cave is said to be the goddess's tears as she mourns the loss of her love. Another sign reminds us that this is a good place to pray for family and even for giving birth to a great commander. The climb took us through a thick growth of bamboo and hackberry trees, with beautiful butterflies so big I thought at first they were bats. There are various lookout spots where we could look down the coast and out to the waves smashing into the various small rocky islands. 

Several other elements of the temple had to be explained to me: like how the golden prayer wheels were purely ornamental and should not be spun; or how the 500 squat stone statues were actually all saints, named and carved with characteristic traits; and the hundreds of miniature mint-green statues were placed by worshippers to achiever spiritual merit points.  No explanation was really needed in order to appreciate the lovely setting: plants, statues and colorful painted walls and roof eaves. I recognized the Chinese zodiac animals in more that one display.  I started to use my Google lens to translate and found the message: "May everyday be a good day." This and all the fun statues of cute smiling Buddhas did give a light hearted to the place.  Watch this to see what I mean.

A statue of a golden warrior turned out to be a monk who is in the Guinness Book of Records for having the most doctorates (126), most books written (1042), and most calligraphy sheets (512,000). I know this because his plaque was translated into English. On the whole, not everything was written in Korean, but some was Japanese, and some Chinese.  In our introduction to Korean culture classes we had learned that the left-facing swastika is a Buddhist symbol, and sure enough, I found one emblazoned on a rock.  The Korean here translated to the teaching on karma: "If you want to know your past, look at what you are receiving now; if you want to know your future, look at what you are doing now."  I will need to meditate on that one for a while. 

Samdado: the 3 Abundances

The old nickname for Jeju is Samdado, which translates to an island (do) of three (sam) abundances (da). They were introduced to me as: the three w's you will find on Jeju are wind, walls & women.  The first I am yet to see.  Since I arrived on the island, the weather has been hot, humid and stifling. We recently went for a sunset hike which should have been the cool of the day. Even at 6pm, the oppressive heat threatened the event. The awaiting van was like an oven and we were all drenched in sweat before arriving at the water's edge. And then we were met with not a breath of wind from the sea. 

Our first stop was a fishing village of Gosan-ri, where some of the squid boats return with their catch. The squid were all hung out to dry along the road side, and some vendors were selling the dried squid on carts and in small kiosks. I had noticed the boats out on the ocean at night, with their bright lights attracting their catch. Now I had a chance to see them up close and observe the oversized and powerful lightbulbs strung up from bow to stern.  Around sun set they all ventured out on the glassy sea and took up positions within sight of the shore.  Nearby a pod of dolphins played, and seemed in no hurry to get anywhere.  So where are these prevailing winds that the island experiences year round? 

There is no beach near the fishing port and it was quite impossible to reach the water to cool off since the shore was made up of volcanic rocks.  The whole island is one extinct volcano, and water's edge shows mounds and stacks of black hardened lava. This basalt rock is everywhere, carved into statues, used as paving stones, and piled up to make the dry-stone walls that border the fields. The soil is fertile but full of boulders. So the farmers clear their fields of rock and pile it up along the road side.  Our ride travels down small roads between the black walls of rough hewn rock. 

The traditional 3 abundances actually refer to 'stone or rock', rather than walls, which I realize doesn't start with a 'w', but includes all the other ways stone is used on the island.  Several excavations have unearthed stone burial sites and homes. More famous are the dolhareubang or stone grandfathers.  These squat stone men sit at the gate and guard the property. We were met at the airport by a pair dressed in swim wear and goggles, and I have started to spot others dotted around, often sporting something that applies to the business it stands guarding. 

If I hadn't just finished reading Han Kang's "We Do Not Part" then I would have scratched my head over the abundance of women on the island. At one time the women far outnumbered the men due to the men leaving the island for fishing and war. During the war time, men were conscripted or imprisoned, depending on the time. During the 50's many young men took to hiding in the various caves of the island to evade being captured and slaughtered by the secret police. After the WW2, right wing groups were insistent that Jeju was harboring communists and helped wipe out a large part of the island's population. Many men joined the navy just to avoid becoming a part of this violence against their homeland.  

Now the men are back, many still fishing or taking advantage of the government initiatives of small market gardening on the island. These small farms, covered in plastic film, can produce up to 3 harvests a year, by growing year round tropical fruits and vegetables. It is now August, but we see the fields being harvested and prepared for another planting.  So far I have enjoyed the locally grown bananas, tangerines, cherries, tomatoes and cucumber. 

My initial experience of the island has been dominated by three s's: sun, school & shopping. We live on a school campus that is part of Education City, alongside three other large international schools. The place is quiet because students and their families have not yet moved back for the start of the school year. I only venture out in the heat when I need to go shopping or eat.  I look forward to seeing how thing change as the weather cools and our neighborhood comes alive. 

Squid and Tangerines

 

One of the reasons I am attracted to travel is that it is a learning experience. I have never been one to lie by the pool at a resort, or make reservations for dining.  I find myself grappling with new alphabets, currency exchanges, and seeking out geographical attractions. I have enjoyed learning since my father took me on nature walks, and college courses excited me. There is so much out in the world to wonder at... and make sense of.

So coming to Jeju, Korea, is satisfying my curiosity. Flying in late at night, I noticed bright lights out to sea.  I learned they were fishermen catching squid: using the lights to attract and capture.

The poly tunnels, or plastic greenhouses, that dominate the landscape are used to grow all types of tropical fruits and vegetables year round. Starbucks serves tangerine, sweetcorn, and mugwort flavored coffee only on Jeju. This reflects the diversity of produce grown on the island.  The highest peak is a long extinct volcano that once spewed lava and covered the island in black basalt rock. The hills and islands that dot the coast are remnants of the lava piles and contain caves. The Jeju symbol is the Dol Hareubang (Stone Grandfather), carved rock statues believed to be guardians or totems. 

I have also worked out that US$1 is about ₩1500, but prices often do not include the last three zeros. I can order from Amazon here, but there are other, similar apps, that will deliver cheaper and faster.  Google maps doesn't help me get around in Korea, but there are other apps that do. You bus your own table here, and there is no tipping. I am intrigued at the different products in the grocery store, becoming aware that there is so much I still have not experienced. I pass a store that sells 'wine and ice scream' and I feel the urge to go in and check it out. 

There are other learning opportunities that are less about curiosity, and more about survival. In order to wash clothes in my apartment, I had to use Google lens to translate the symbols around the dial. I used the cycle that translates to 'functional clothing' and it took about an hour.  I then learned how to use the same machine to dry my clothes, and manually drain the water out the bottom.  I now know what all the switches and control panels do around the apartment... including the underfloor heating. This was learned by trial and error. And I have just about mastered the most confusing recycling system in the world. How many different plastics can there be? It was necessary to video all the bins and their contents, take notes, and ask for advice, but if that is what it takes... 

I have always loved learning new stuff.  I think that is why I went into education and continued taking new assignments. I know I learned more that my students, and was often disappointed that they didn't have that same hunger for finding out new and wonderful bits of information.  But we all march to the beat of our own drum, and mine is a thirst for understanding.

First Day Shopping ￦ith ￦

 

So we needed a few things for the apartment, and the school had organized a shopping day for new staff. We would be bussed into town, dropped off at a store, and then have our purchases transported back to our door. Although there were items I urgently needed, I was both curious to get out and see more of Jeju, and meet some of my neighbors.  Many of the other staff had arrived earlier and were a good source of information for Jon and I as we ventured out for the first time.

The bus headed towards the coast, past the tea plantations, plastic film greenhouses and small businesses offering stonework. Our first stop was a budget chain where everything was priced under $5 (￦5000). Surprisingly we found everything from wine glasses to cloth hangers and extension cords. The place was packed with stuff laid out over 3 floors. I had soon filled my shopping basket and was now using a laundry hamper to carry mops and cleaning supplies.  At the checkout I saw other shoppers with huge bags the size of a small child. We filled this, and then some, and packed it into the bus.  I did feel a twinge of guilt about the amount of cheap stuff each one of us was forced to purchase, knowing that it would all end up in a landfill sooner or later. But the truth is that it just wasn't practical to ship all our kitchen over to Jeju. I hope I can find someone to donate it to when I leave.

The bus then took us to an up scale supermarket near the World Cup soccer stadium. Brazil played here in 2002 and it certainly looks out of place on the southern coast of Jeju. Before doing our grocery shopping, we had lunch at McDonalds. Yes, I know that doesn't sound very cultural, but I was curious to see what was on the menu at a Korean McDonalds. I ordered a snack wrap from the electronic board, thinking it would be chicken like in the US. It turned out to be a crab cake. More interestingly, we shared a table with some school proctors, who take care of the boarding students. They answered all my questions and shared a bit of what it is like to be at a boarding school on Jeju. 

E-Mart is more than a supermarket: it carries Apple products and other electronics as well as several imported items.  I added a Nespresso machine to my cart and headed towards the bakery. We had been warned that Korea did not sell bread and that cheese products were rare. Here I found whole isles of breads and cheeses, although many were imported and very expensive. Much of the other items where frozen goods, all labeled in Korean.  So I used Google lens to translate the packaging. This helped me identify the chicken and pork sausages. I felt a little self-conscious using my phone to read all the labels, so I stuck to the more obvious foods.  I bought a bottle of what I think is soy sauce, but I'll have to taste it to actually find out.  Although we will probably eat out regularly and experience Korean cuisine, it is nice to have a few familiar tastes that remind us of home, like a cup of coffee in the morning. More importantly, I can now do laundry... if I can figure out the Korean washing machine.

Are you going there to ...live?

A valid question from our cab driver who had just picked us up with 8 pieces of luggage for a transfer to Seoul's Gimpo airport.  It was a hot, our domestic flight to Jeju island was leaving in under an hour, and we were struggling to lug around heavy suitcases, a bike box, guitar and set of golf clubs.  As much as I like traveling to new places, I dislike moving.  The unsettling process of going to a foreign country to work can take all the fun out of travel.

First, there is the exhausting process of applying for a work visa. Even though I am technically retired, I am still required to go through the process with Jon. There are endless forms to be filled out, documents to be notarized, and photos to be mailed. Then there is a lot of nervous waiting before you can make plans or buy plane tickets. Once we got the go ahead, we found there were no through flights to Jeju, which meant buying a separate ticket from Seoul on a flight from a different airport. I did plenty of online research as to how we could make this happen, but this is where AI fails. Most posts are made for Koreans going on holiday to the island of Jeju. There is no mention of the language difficulties or limited luggage size. 

We arrived in Seoul after a 14 hour flight with our various pieces of oversized luggage, too many to fit on two luggage carts. I had images of adventurers from the golden years of exploration arriving in bustling ports and having their shipping crates and trunks ferried off by charming locals.  Seoul airport is certainly bustling, but you are on your own. Most of the signage is in Korean, and the elevators are too small to fit more than a couple of regular size suitcases. My online research had told me to head for the airport bus, they 'limo', and buy tickets from a electronic kiosk. I had to ask for information three times before finding the bus station, and no one could tell us whether we could take a bike box.  It turns out we couldn't. The bus driver refused to let us board with our bags and boxes.  He told us to take a 'car van'.

Fortunately we went outside to the taxi rank and found a driver with a van. He didn't speak much English but communicated the price and converted it into dollars so we could understand.  In hind sight we should have gone directly to the taxi cabs, and not tried to navigate the elevators down to the bus station. We arrived in time to make our connecting flight to Jeju and no pieces of luggage were damaged or lost in the process. 

Now if we were joining the other holiday makers here, we would have booked a nice hotel not far from the airport for our first night.  But in our case we were picked up by our employer and taken to our new residence, picked out by them as conveniently close to work, but far from shops and restaurants. Also, it turned out we were on the second floor of a building with only one elevator. After hauling up the bags, I was ready for a shower and bed, but of course, there were no sheets on the bed or toiletries in the  bathroom.  We spent most of the night unpacking and making the beds. 

Today we explored the neighborhood without the use of Google Maps. Apparently there are regulations in Korea that prevent Maps from showing you different routes to drive or walk. So we found a Starbucks the old fashioned way, because we also don't have access to the app for delivery.  We did meet another teacher and her family at lunch who told us that things get better: she started out the same way but now lives in a house on the beach just 20 minutes away from school.  When you are traveling to live, then you have time on your side, and we will have time to shop for all those things we didn't bring... (like clothes hangers and wineglasses).

The Battle Hymn of the Grapes

 

Ten years ago, on returning to southern Minnesota for the summer, we discovered a local vineyard. Since this isn't the south of France, or California, we questioned the possibility that grapes would even grow in our area, let alone produce fine wine. Apparently the University of MN had created a hybrid that would withstand the weather and soil conditions in the midwest, and wineries were popping up all over. A year later we bought out first grape vines and planted them in the sunniest spot of our yard, my flower garden. Since then we have bought several more varieties and planted about the property, reading up on pruning techniques and building trellises.  

Now I cannot say that our vines are a complete success. Some die or get nibbled by rabbits and deer. We are not around to see the grapes ripen, and often the bunches are small and whither away. They don't respond well to dry weather, which means lots of watering. But we live in hope that a new year will bring a bumper crop that will make drinkable wine. I am also starting to question the point.

Today we talk of ecologically responsible gardens, that conserve water, minimize the use of pesticides, provide habitat for wildlife and pollinators. Our grapes really don't fit into this kind of garden. I am starting to look at my flowers in another way. They certainly attract pollinators.  I watch the butterflies and bees flutter and land on their favorites: bee balm, coneflower and milkweed.  I allow milkweed and Joe Pye weed to flourish, despite their size. And during the dry weather I notice that many of the native plants require no watering.  Black-eyed Susan and phlox grow, flower and seed themselves without any interference from me. But then, this should be obvious, because they are native and suited to this environment. 

I identify with the grapes, a non-native trying to put down roots in a foreign land. Wherever I go, I know I am welcome, but I do not really belong. I have to try harder to flourish, and I require more help and support than those who call that place their home.  In many places I have lived, I am fortunate to find local support in the form of locals who help me learn their ways and understand that I very much need their help.

These friends are similar to the native plants which are also non-invasive. They allow other plants to grow up around them, sharing the land. 

I do have to beware of the creeping bell flower which produces lovely purple bells, but left unattended will spread throughout the flower garden in a way that only weedkiller will control. There are some places that do not welcome visitors, strangers or foreigners, as they feel threatened. Those places choke the life out of you, force you to move on. 

 I have also noticed that tomato seeds from last year's crop will sprout and grow taller that the hot house plants a buy from the nursery. The seeds have earned their space, inheriting their suitability from their parents.  Though I may never feel like a native here, thriving in whichever place I choose to call home, I can wish this for my children.  Although none were born in the US, they are American and have a home here. They can call themselves natives, and that is something I have given them.